Does Your Household Waste Water?

From unintentional leaks to outright squander, many households could do a little more to preserve the precious resource, which is water. You do your bit for the environment by buying environmentally friendly products and by cutting down on greenhouse gases where possible, but what about water? So many of us are careless with water because it seems to be abundant. Only, it isn't really.

Many parts of the world are currently in the grips of drought, and here in Canada, we are actually fortunate. We live in one of the few developed countries that are not drought-ridden. Water shortages have not impacted us as directly as it has many people in other developed countries. Before it happens here, let's make a pact to cut down on the wasteful use of our water resources.

Top Tips for Water Conservation

1. Repair Leaks

Repair drips and leaks as soon as you become aware of it because a leaking toilet can waste 90,000 gallons of water a month, while a dripping faucet can lose approximately 20 gallons a day.

2. Install Water-Saving Fixtures

Low-flow, dual-flush toilets, water-efficient appliances, and low-flow showerheads can all help save plenty of water (and money, in the process). In a typical household, low-flow showerheads and faucets can save an estimated 45 gallons of water per day, which equates to 18% of your standard usage. A low-flow toilet could potentially save up to 80 gallons a day, which will trim your use by about half.

3. Use Water Wisely

All water meets the same fate in the end. Both clean and dirty water ends up being mixed with raw sewage, so save water by:

• turning off the faucet while you brush your teeth or shave.
• washing laundry and dishes only when you can do a full load.
• turning off the water after you have run a sinkful for the dishes.
• save water - shower with a friend, or at least turn the water off while you lather.

4. Be Garden Friendly

Do a bit of research to learn about xeriscaping, a gardening method that uses low-water and native plants to naturalize your garden. If you have an established garden and you have to water it, do so during the coolest part of the day or night to minimize evaporation.

5. Harvest Rain and Greywater

Use a barrel to collect rainwater from your downspouts, and use that for irrigation. If you have used water once, but it is still clean enough for other purposes, use it! Instead of emptying your fish tank in the sink, use it to water your plants.

6. Choose your car wash carefully

It's understandable that you want to save time on a car wash, which is often more efficient than you could be at home... but be sure to use a car wash that cleans and recycles the water, or use a waterless car wash.

Saving water is rewarding, not only because it preserves a natural resource, but also because it saves money in utilities. Less waste of hot potable water during showers or dish washing, will translate into savings on your utility bills, as it will require less energy to heat up. Do your part and save the environment for future generations.